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August 15, 2010

G119: Rangers 7, Red Sox 3

Matasuzaka was sharp though 6.2 innings, allowing only five hits and one run. But with a runner on third base, Pedro Borbon singled on a drag bunt to the right side on the infield to give Texas a 2-0 lead. Elvus Andrus lined a single to center -- and in came Manny Delcarmen.

Michael Young crushed MDC's first pitch to deep left for a three-run homer and what had been a pitchers duel was suddenly a hefty 5-0 Texas lead. Boston came back with two outs in the top of the eighth, as Eric Patterson singled, Marco Scutaro doubled (5-1), and Darnell McDonald homered to right (5-3).

The Rangers scored two more, mostly off Michael Bowden, in their half of the eighth, and the Sox went down without much resistance in the ninth.

The Yankees (with 2 hits and 3 errors) lost to the Royals 1-0 and the Rays beat the Orioles 3-2. Tampa Bay is 1 GB New York; Boston stays 6 GB.

The Red Sox are off tomorrow, but the Yankees host the Tigers and the Rangers visit the Rays (Lee/Price).

1991 - Yankees captain Don Mattingly is benched and fined $250 for refusing to cut his hair. He asks to be traded for the second time in two months. "I'm overwhelmed by the pettiness of it." Four of his teammates -- Steve Farr, Matt Nokes, Pascual Perez, and Mel Hall -- have also been warned about the length of their hair.

120 comments:

Yankees captain Don Mattingly is benched and fined $250 for refusing to cut his hair. He asks to be traded for the second time in two months. "I'm overwhelmed by the pettiness of it."

To really appreciate the pettiness and idiocy of this, you have to remember that the Yankees sucked in those days. There were always tons of good seats available, even at relatively low prices, and Mattingly was THE most popular player, and one of the only popular players, period.

Phil Rizzuto and the rest of the broadcast team wore bald wigs for the opening segment that night. Terrific laughs.

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" did a two-week study on 184 total baseball games and looked at every single play that were not balls and strikes to see if the umpires got the calls correct. Most were obvious plays that didn't require any closer look, but of the ones that did, 13.9% remained too close to call, 65.7% were considered to be correct calls, and 20.4% were considered to be the wrong call.

And, even in those days when it was worth more, isn't it almost an insult in itself to be fined only $250? It's, like, not worth it to fine you any more than that -- an admission of the pettiness of it.

Hamilton just took what I think was an 88 mph fastball down the middle on a 3-1 count then K's on a curveball. Not sure what he was looking for there but that was about as hittable a pitch as you'll get in the majors.

It has been talked about quite a lot. "God" is often required for that kind of change, so I can give anyone who's been through it the latitude to preach if they like. Beats the shit out of the alternative.

Well this sux. Been sitting at the puter doing billing and watching MFY on GDGD because I thought this game started at 3. Then I check the conversation here and see we're well underway. Must have been looking at CT start

I may have to switch to NESN or EEI on the computer. These Texas guys DO NOT STOP TALKING. They'll talk about anything. They likened Bill Hall playing various positions to Robin Williams being more than a comedian. Wow, just shut up.

It has been talked about quite a lot. "God" is often required for that kind of change, so I can give anyone who's been through it the latitude to preach if they like. Beats the shit out of the alternative.

What's more, he was not preaching - which to me means telling other people they should do such-and-such. He was only speaking about his personal experience.

I say, whatever works. As you said, "god" or god-equivalent often seems to be the key.

To be fair, Andy was going through his own very serious issues at the time and people were preaching at him - and something about the god talk drove him around the bend.

Yahoo's depth chart is usually pretty accurate, although Ellsbury's on it at the moment. When you think about it, our depth chart is so fucked up. So many people go to multiple positions. Not only Patterson, Hall and Lowrie, but multiple OF positions (McDonald) and two catchers behind Lowell at first.

I know Lowrie's got heat exhaustion. Any word on why Ortiz isn't in the lineup?

Sure feels like bullpen improvement should be on our to-do list. Okajima has been nonexistent all year, MDC has been horrible, Papelbon has been streaky. Our starting pitching has been great, and we're second in the ML in home runs.

Having Petey back will be a huge boost IMO. I just hope he's actually ready. Seems as though maybe LBJ was not.

RE the satisfaction with the 5-5 road trip -

True dat but we're gonna have to suck it up and do at least a little better to stay on the bus. We needed to get to 6-4 to gain a game for the week. It gets a little more imperative every week that we gain a little ground.

I, however, am still riding. I think we can do it. Of course the deciding factor will be the games vs the Rays and Yankees.Don't make me look stupid Sox!